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Author Notes: This recipe originated with Edward Giobbi in "Pleasures of the Good Earth". He's a great cook and the recipe in his book calls for homemade cotechino sausage, whose recipe is on the facing page. I admire his ambition, but use the Hillshire Farms Kielbasa. —luvcookbooks

Serves 4

3tablespoons olive oil

1 onion, chopped

1 carrot, chopped

3 garlic cloves, chopped

1.5cups lentils

4cups water

1teaspoon salt

1teaspoon black pepper

hot red pepper flakes, to taste

1 kielbasa sausage

4 fist sized new potatoes

1 bunch broccoli di rape

4tablespoons olive oil

Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat and add onion, carrot, and garlic. Cook about 10 minutes, until the onion is soft and translucent but not colored.

Add the lentils, water, salt and pepper, hot pepper flakes, and kielbasa. Simmer about 40 minutes, until the lentils are tender. They will absorb most of the water and cohere like a stew.

While the lentils and kielbasa are cooking, boil the potatoes. Drain and keep warm in their pan.

Cook broccoli di rape in 1 inch of boiling water in a medium saucepan for about 5 minutes, until tender but still bright green. Drain, then simmer in 4 tablespoons of olive oil in the same pan for an additional 5 minutes.

To serve, cut the kielbasa into slices. On each plate, put a dollop of lentils, a few slices of kielbasa, a boiled potato, and a spoonful of broccoli di rape. The rich sausage, bitter greens, earthy lentils, and starchy potato make a melange on the plate. Delicious!